Apparatus for cutting foodstuffs



May 15, 1928.

1,670,261 H. L. JOHNSTON APPARATUS FOR CUTTING .FOODSTUFFS Filed July 3l, 1924 |05A j 4 I n ,4 'k/ |03 lI/ 21 2WD' 3| 1) 5o l 1 2O n I'; J

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D "ll//ll/ 7o 0' 32 loa :1li 2' F- HfI [03 @a LJ] IVENTOR. Mm

ATTORNEYS.

Humanity is; 192e.

UNITED sTATs PATENT OFFICE.

I. 10ml', Ol' TROY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOBART IAIUIAUIUBJIG OO., OI' TROY, OHIO. A CORPORATION Ol' OHIO.

mamans ron. emile iroons'rnns .animan ma my ai, im. mui il. nana l i The present invention relates to apparatus for cutting food stufs.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide such an apparatus as a potato slicer, or the like, having a novel cont struction, combination and arran ement of parts or elements therein, whic will be simple, reliable and safe in operation, and which may be conveniently and economically manufactured.

Further ob]ects -and advantages of the resentinventzon will be apparent from the ollow'ing description taken in @connection v with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention,

me 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. f

The present invention is an improvement on the invention disclosed inthe prior aplication of Herbert L. Johnston, Serial o. 719,804, filed June 13,1924, and is herein shown as embodied in a machine for cutting potatoes; although it will be understood that the present invention is susceptible of other applications and is not confined to the particular application herein illustrated.

Referring to the drawings, 20 designates a gear case or housin upon which is supported a curved troug 21 which is adagited to receive thereinpotatoes or other orm of food stuffs to be cut. To permit of the ready insertion of food stuffs, the trough is provided with a movable cover portion 26 which is preferably pivotally connected with the trough 21 and is adapted to be raised by means of the handle 27.

Crank arm 31 is ivotallyfsupported from the lower pai-it oft e gear case 20 bymeans ofthe pin 32 and extends vupwardly alongside the gear case 20 and trough 21. Extending from the gear case 20 and suitably mounted therein is a; rotary drive shaft 50,

i the extending portion of which is adapted to receive a crank or to be connected with any desired source of power. A drivin connection is provided between the cran arm 31 and the' drive shaft -50 whereby upo rotation ofthe drive shaft the crank ar 31 is given a to and fre movement about the parte thereof being taken in section on thev 4protective covering therefor.

pin 32. Such driving connection ma be of any suitable or desired form, but as erein illustrated, it includes a crank shaft '59 having a crank pin 68 cooperating with the sliding block 69 which is slidably mounted in the oke 70 -formed in the crank arm 31. By this mechanism rotation of the drive shaft 50 causes oscillation of the crank arm 31 from a position opposite one end of the trough. 21 to a position opposite the other end-of the trough.

.The upper end of the crank arm 31 is bent laterally to` project into the trough 21 through a slot at one side thereof and car ries a pusher support 101, the top 26 being Erovided with an extended portion 34 overanging the upper end of the crank arm as a A pusher member 102 is pivotally supported upon the pusher support by means of the pin V103 which passes through suitable lugs extending rearwardly from the pusher` member adjacent its lower edge.l The pusher member 102 is free to swing forwardly and backwardly about the pin 103 and is normally; held in a forward or inclined position wit respect to the pusher support 101 by means of a coiled spring or other yielding means 104 interposed between the members `101 and 102. Lugs 105'extending rearwardlyfrom the upper portion of the pusher member and connected byka pin 106 form a yoke to limit the forward movement of the pusher member 102 about its pivot 103.

Within the trough 21 and'preferably removably supported therein is a grid-like cutting member 22 having a plurality of cutting blades, the cutting edges of which blades face towards the pusher member, thatis, towards the right as shown inv Fig. 1. Upon a forward oscillation or movement of the pusher member 102 towards the cutting member 22, it will be a parent that the potato or other food stus inter sed between the cuttermember 22 and t e pusher member 102 will be pushed through the cutter member and thus cut into the desired form. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the pusher member 102 is disposed substantially at right angles or normal to the line o f pressure or thrust between the usher member and the cutter member, that 1s, the pusher member is disposed approximately parallel to the cutter member. By this construction any tendency of the potato to slide with reference to the surface of the pusher member is largely obviated, and further, the pressure exertedupon the potato by the pusher member 1s approximately normal to the plane of cutter member 22. As the crank arm -31 approaches the cutter member 22 the angle of the line of pressure through the potato varies so that the pusher member 102 is moved backwardly and the spring 104 is compressed, thus maintaining t e surface of the pusher member approximately normal to the line of pressure as the usher member approaches the cutter mem er 22.

The surface of the usher member is preferably faced with rub er 107 or other yieldable material provided with suitable grlpping projections or means 108 for preventmg movement of the food stuffs with respect to the surface of the pusher member. In the extreme forward position of the pusher member, the rubber facing 107 is pressed against the cutting edges of the blades so that portions of t e rubber facing pro]ect between the blades, thus insuring complete cutting of the potato by the cutter member. While the pusher member is herein described as having a facing of yieldable material for receiving the cutting edges of the blades therein, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of a yieldable material but ma include any material or formation of tie surface of the pusher member which will receive the cutting edges of the blades so that portions of the pusher surface may extend between the blades to insure complete cutting of the food stuffs.

While the form of ap aratus herein described constitutes a pre erred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that chan es ma be made therein without departing rom the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

i 1. In an apparatus of the character described, a trough adapted to receive food stuffs, a cutting member, a pusher member mounted to move out of contact with the trough for pushing the food stuffs toward the cutting member, and means tending to hold the face of the pusher member normal tothe line of ressure during the movement of the pus er member toward the cutting member.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a trough adapted to receive :Eood stuffs, a cutting member, an actuating member, a pusher member pivotally connected adjacent its lower side to said actuating member and mounted for movement out` of contact with said trough, and yieldlng means interposed between the pivoted pusher member and the supporting actuating member.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a trough adapted to receive food stuts, a cutting member, a pusher member for pushing the food stuffs toward the cutting member, an actuating member terminatmg within the trough, and means for pivotally and yieldably connecting the pusher member with the actuating member.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a trough adapted to receive food stuffs, a cutting member, an actuating member, a pusher member pivotally connected adjacent its lower side to said actuating member and mounted for movement out of contact with said trough, yielding means interposed between the pivoted pusher member and the supporting actuating member, and means for limiting the movement of the pivoted pusher member with respect to its supporting actuating member.4

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a curved trough adapted to receive food stuffs therein, a cutting member, a pusher member for pushing the food stuffs toward the cuttin member, and means tending to hold the ace of the pusher member normal to the line of pressure during the movement of the pusher member toward the cutting member.

6. In `an apparatus of the character described, a curved trough adapted to receive food stuffs therein, a cutting member, a pusher member for pushing the food stuffs toward the cutting member, and yielding means tending to hold the face of the pusher member normal to the line of pressure durmg the movement of the pusher member toward the cutting member.

7.. In an apparatus of the character descrlbed, a curved trough adapted to receive food stuffs therein, a cutting member, a pusher member for pushing the food stuffs toward the cutting member, and means for supporting the pusher member for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the grection of movement of the pusher mem- 8'. In an apparatus of the character described, a curved trough adapted to receive foodstuffs therein, a cutting member, a pusher member for pushing the food stuffs toward the cutting member, an actuating member pivoted for swinging movement about its lower end, and means for pivotally connecting the pusher member with the upper end of the actuating member.

9. In an apparatus ofthe character described, a curved trough adapted to receive food stuffs therein, a cutting member, a

pusher member for pushing the food stuffstoward the cutting member, :L11 actuating member pvoted for Swingin movement about its lower end, means or pivotally connecting the pusher member With the upper end of the actuating member, and means carried by said members for yieldmember.

ln testimony whereof I hereto aix my signature.

HERBERT L. JOHNSTON. 

